Development of listening and speaking skills in hearing-impaired EFL students

This study initiates an exploration of the benefits that a computer-based training could bring to hearing-impaired Secondary students of EFL. A class of six Spanish students (five hearing-impaired and one with a slight cognitive disorder) undertook three sessions of audiovisual training in the computer room. Participants recorded their productions in the course of three sessions, which were analysed taking into account three main variables: tonicity, tonality and tone. Participants with lower outcomes in the first recording showed a higher global improvement in their productions by the end of the training. There were not significant differences between the final outcome of the hearing student and the final outcomes of the five hearing-impaired students.